Coffee maker



Nov. 3, 1942. F. E WOLCOTT COFFEE MAKER Filed y 26, 1959 b 0 F Egg W? J 2 vention is to provide such Patented Nov. 3,, 1942 OFFICE COFFEE MAKER Frank E. Wolcott, West Hartford, Conn., assignor to The Silex Company, a corporation of Connecticut Application July 26, 1939, Serial No. 286,603 4 Claims. (Cl. 210-162) My invention relates to coffee makers. It has among its objects to provide an improved strainer mechanism for a coffee maker of the vacuum type. A further object of my invention is to provide such an improved strainer mechanism especially adapted to'be disposed in and operatively connected to the stem of the upper bowl of such a cofiee maker. Other objects of my invention include the provision of an improved strainer mechanism especially adapted to use with a strainer cup and cooperating strainer disc and such a mechanism having improved means for positioning the strainer cup against tilting from its operatable position in the mouth 01' such a stem. Still another object of my inimproved means including improved extension and spring means carried on the cup and cooperating in an improved manner. These and other objects and advantages of my improved construction will, however, hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawing, I have shown of reduced cross section, herein extending completely through an enlarged portion IS on the upper end of the stem and into a lower reduced portion It thereof. Further, it will be observed a that a coiled spring I encloses the reduced exfor purposes of illustration one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partially in section, showing a coffee makerequipped with my improvementi Fig. 2 is a detail enlarged sectional view showing my improved strainer mechanism in position in the upper bowl stem Fig. 3 is a side elevation of my improved strainer mechanism when removed from the bowl;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view on line 4-4 of Figure and Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Figure 3, the parts being shown in spaced relation ready for assembly. I

In this illustrative construction. I have shown a vacuum type cofiee'maker, including a usual lower bowl I and upper bowl 2 and having the stem 3 of the upper bowl extending through a suitable seal 4 in the neck 5 of th lowerbowl I: my improved construction comprising improved straining mechanism disposed in and operatively connected to this stem 3, as hereinafter described.

Refen-ing more particularly to my improved construction, it will be observed that a strainer cup 6 is provided, having a series of radially located aperture 1 in the sloping walls thereof; these apertures herein extending longitudinally and being wider at their upper ends than at their lower ends, and being spaced by narrow intermediate portions or ribs 8. Further, a straining 55 pper end of the coiled tension II on the cup and has on end connected having connections at its op-- to the latter while posite end connectible to the lower or tree end of the portion I 4 of the stem. Herein, th upper end or the spring I! also has a longitudinall extending extension I 6 thereon extending through a suitable vertical opening I! in the portion ll leading into the inside of the cup 6, and a transversely bent upper end I 8 overlying the bottom of the cup and thus providing an abutment'for one end of the spring II. The other end Of the latter also has an inwardly directed portion l9 extending to the axis oi the spring coil and a downward extension 20 is provided on this portion and carries on its own lower end a hook 2| equipped with a suitable pullchain 22 and adapted to be hooked over the lower open edge 2 of the stem portion H for anchoring the same.

In my improved construction, the coiled spring l5 when free from tension is preferably of substantially the same length a the extension H on the cup: Thus, when not in use. the strainer assembly occupies the position shown in Figure 3, with the portion l9 engaging or closely adjacent the lower end of the extension l2, and the closely coiled spring I! enclosing that extension throughout the length of the latter. When the parts are in this position, it will b evident that the strainer disc 9 may be readily threaded on the assembly,

the construction of the parts being such that the usual axial opening in the disc may be readiLv passed over the pull chain, hook and spring to bring the disc into its operative position beneath the cup. With the disc in this operative position, it will also be evident that the assembly may be readily inserted in the bowl I by dropping the chain 22 through the stem 3 from above, the strainer mechanism being then readily connected to the stem by merely pulling down the chain 22 and hooking the hook 2| over th bottom of the stem.

.In the use or my improved construction, the

spring 15, i. e. that poron this cup and pressed 'suriace ll.

. securely to locate the cup 6 against tilting irom its operative position in the mouth oi the stem,

wherein it presses the disc l against the month More particularlnthe action oi the upper end oi the coiled spring is such as, while enclosing the extension I2-,-to' exert a substantially straight downward pull on the cup, the

extension I! preventing any substantial swinging movement oi the cup laterally relative to the axis oi the stem, despite the iact that the lower end oi the coiled spring, which when extended projects below the end oi .the extension I2, is deflected laterally. Thus, despite the connection oi the hook 2| over the lower edge oi the stem portion II, the strainer cup and disc While have in this application specifically 1 that the same is shown ior purposes oi illustrathe strainer assembly to be very readily connected or removed whenever desired.

- As a result oi my improved construction, it is made possible ior the coiled spring to cooperate with the depending extension on the cup in an improved manner, not only during use, but when the spring is iree irom tension. Thus, the coiled spring which herein is telescopically mounted on this extension, has its upper portion enclosing the latter when extended and its lower portion deflected, while, when the spring is not under tension, its whole length is compactly coiled about this extension, herein in such manner. as to en able the iree end oi the latter to provide an abutment ior the free end oi the spring. Ii desired, however, the length oi the spring may be such that the portion is thereon will not engage the end oi the extension. In this construction, it is also made possible to iorm the cup and extension oi one piece oi material and, ii desired, to eliminate metal; the cup and extension, ior example, being adapted to be iormed oi any suitable light molded insulating material such, for example, as Durez. Attention is iurther directed to the iact that with my improved apertures 1, the coiiee passes quickly irom the upper bowl to the lower bowl within the desired time limit without objectionable obstruction by the extension and the spring surrounding the same. These and other advantages oi my improved construction will, however, be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

tion, and that the invention may be modiiled and embodied in various other forms without 1 end oi said extension and having means at the other end thereoi ior securing said device in a coffee maker.

2. In coiiee straining means including a mechanism ior coiiee makers, a strainer member having a depending axial extension, a coiled spring substantially enclosing said extension and connected at one 'end to said member, anchoring means at the other end oi said spring ior securing said member in a coiiee maker, and an abut,- ment on said spring normally engageable with the free end of said extension.

3. In a strainer mechanism ior coffee makers having a hollow stem, coiiee straining means including a member comprising a cup-shaped por--'- tion having a depending axial extension, said member having an opening extending through said cup-shaped portion and adjacent the side of said extension, a coil spring surrounding said extension, said spring having an abutment portion extending through said opening ior securing one end oi the spring to said member, and means at the opposite end of said spring for connecting the same to the free end oi said stem.

4. For a coiiee maker bowl having a depending hollow stem, a strainer comprising coiiee straining means mechanism including a: member seated in the mouth of said stem and having a depending axial extension, aspring connected to said cup and having a coiled portion substantially enclosing said extension and a laterally deflected portion abutting the lower end oi said extension, and connecting means on the lower end oi said spring ior connecting the same to the free end oi said stem. FRANK E. WOLCO'I'I. 

